The invention relates to small weapon and may be used in the military equipment. Automatic rifles are known that are made under the “classic” system, with a permanent or a folding butt and a fire control handle located between the butt and a magazine: http://worldwidewebdotgunsdotru/assault/rus/ak-74-rdothtml.
A drawback of the “classic” system is a great length of weapon and lowered grouping pattern during automatic shooting (for weapon where the barrel axis is higher than the butt axis).
Assault rifles are known that are made under the “bullpup” system, where the fire control handle with the trigger is located on the forearm:
http://worldwidewebdotgunsdotru/assault/rus/ots-14-groza-rdothtml;
http://worldwidewebdotgunsdotru/assault/isr/tavor-tar-21-rdothtml;
http://worldwidewebdotgunsdotru/assault/ua/verp-rdothtml;
http://worldwidewebdotgunsdotru/assault/ch/type-95--qbs-95-rdothtml.
This system is disadvantageous in that the weapon center of gravity is shifted to the rear portion, reloading and the use of the safety catch are not convenient, a butt is missing which is necessary when prone shooting and in a hand-to-hand fight. The closest analogous solution to the claimed one is “Automatic Weapon “Kalashnikov Assault Rifle” (Eurasian Patent No. 000020; AK-74M) that comprises a breech, a trigger mechanism (TM), a locking mechanism, a gas outlet mechanism, a folding butt with retainers for the fight and the transportation positions, a barrel with a sight block, a sight bar and a foresight post, a magazine, a magazine catch, a fire control handle.
AK-74M assault rifle has a folding plastic hollow butt that folds to the left side and is retained by a catch.
AK-74M drawbacks are: a great length when the butt is put into the fight position, which causes quick tiredness of a rifleman during standing aimed shooting; a reduced maneuverability in constrained conditions; difficulties during aimed shooting in the transportation position with the folded butt; lowered grouping pattern due to misalignment of the barrel axis and a butt rest point on the shoulder; a significant increase of loading onto a rifleman when additional devices are used, such as silencers, tactical lights, optical sights, etc.